What pledge or guarantee was Job asking for (17:3)?
The translation of verse 3 is difficult. The following paraphrase may help clarify the meaning: Give attention (O God) to becoming my guarantor (that I am right) with you, for who else will shake my hand to prove it? If God put up such a guarantee for Job, it would not only silence his mockers (the counselors) but would prove they were guilty of false accusation and deserving of the sanctions and punishment they had implied Job deserved. The NIV Bible Commentary Why is God sometimes silent when we cry for help (19:7)? The short answer might be that God s silence can deepen our faith. The long answer is that we don t know. God s silence has puzzled his people from the earliest times until now. God, even in his matchless love for his people, sometimes allows us to drift, seemingly alone. The Quest Study Bible Why are wicked people so successful (21:13)? Usually they are smart and pragmatic in devious ways. They may know how to take advantage of people and make shrewd decisions. Many view
